IRWINTools IRWIN Tap Set, 3.0MM - 0.50MM, 3-Piece (2712)

These taps are well made and are of proper profile, I have used these to tap blind holes in stainless steel and they have done an excellent job, they cut a clean thread and I've had no issues with binding, and I like that they come as a complete set, taper, plug and bottom. Start the taps straight and back up often and there is little chance of breaking one

If you need to tap some M3 holes by hand, don't bother with anything else.That being said, you should really aim for some spiral flutes if you're doing machine tapping. They will clear the chips better. These are very small taps, so chip clearance is something you REALLY need to pay attention to, even in soft materials.US-made high-speed steel is vastly superior to anything else, so don't bother with Chinese taps. The price difference is not that big, and you will only cause yourself pain and suffering if you cheap out.

I needed a M3 bottom tap, which is included in this set. I tried all three taps included in this set and they each work well and appear that they will last a long time if one takes care in tapping (right hole size, lubrication during tapping, and careful turning).

I needed to tap some 3.0 mm diameter - 0.5 mm pitch holes in the underside of the top plate of my INCRA Mast-R-Lift-II Router Lift so that I could attach an iGaging DigiMAG 6" Magnetic Remote Digital Readout. The holes could only be about 6 mm deep because I didn't want to drill through the top of the plate. Bottom tapping very small diameter, blind holes in aluminum is tricky stuff because it's so easy to strip out the threads if you apply too much torque. The Irwin taps did the job perfectly. The taps in the set have 3 different tips, one with a long taper, the second with a medium taper and the third with almost no taper. I ran each one into the holes in succession and ended up with very clean tapped holes with the threads going almost to the bottom of the hole.

I'm using these to tap holes in PETG after 3D printing, and they work really well for that. Pay extra for good taps and drills and you won't regret it.

What is there to say, they tap holes nicely and they're cheap. I've tapped quite a bit of plastic and aluminum with these and they show no signs of wear and tear or damage. I can't speak to their longevity in tougher metals, but in softer substances they'll cut threads for you all day long.

It was exactly what I expected.

Arrived quickly and product just as shown in photo. These taps are perfect size for screws to mount IC's to heat sinks, as well as other chassis assembly fasteners for DIY audio projects. There is room in the plastic case to add a few 2.5mm drill bits (the correct size hole for these taps) which makes a handy all-in-one kit.